I know what you're thinking. You're on reviews 10 and 11 of the year and yet there's nothing from before 1990. What gives? Well, that's why I put in that little thing about "on average." Rest assured, I have more classic films coming your way soon. I have the original "Ocean's 11" as well as the two more modern off-shoots. I have Howard Hughes' "Hell's Angels" and later on I'll be reviewing some classic hip-hop cinema. For now, check out a couple of the latest foreign films that have gotten some attention and acclaim.
The House of Flying Daggers
Review by Jon Waterman
**
It’s a simple story about an underground vigilante group called the Flying Daggers whose purpose is to undermine and destroy the government. Their old leader has been killed and so their efforts have increased to show that they have not weakened. Mei, the former leader’s daughter is discovered as a spy and must escape back north to their hideout. Since she is blind, a man named Jin escorts her. Little does she know, he’s a government spy looking to infiltrate their base. Can he keep up the charade, or will his growing affection for her break him down?
The story line isn’t all that deep or too interesting. If it helps at all, think of it as a martial arts flick where the main character is blind. It’s like “Zatoichi” meets “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” I say that second part, because it’s one of those new wire-fu movies that have become something of a trend. The same writing and directing team that brought you “Hero” brings about this latest entry into the genre. Yimou Zhang directs and helps Feng Li and Bin Wang write. It’s meant to be something of a companion piece, but I can’t really tell you how it stacks up, because as of yet, I haven’t seen that Jet Li movie.
So, let’s talk about the action stuff. It doesn’t get too incredibly wacky and wild. People do climb about on trees like monkeys and do crazy impossible dodging moves, but actually the majority of the fighting is rather straightforward. Most of the wire action you’ll see is the ones dangling off the fake squirrel that appears in one shot. Even though the fighting is mostly back-to-basics (yet surprisingly dull), I’d consider it a wire-fu because of the few sequences that utilize the anti-gravitational style and for all those flying daggers. Honestly, it’s less like a dagger and more like a heat-seeking missile. These things find their targets and then circle around to do exactly what they need to do. A decent enough concept, but the execution leaves a little to be desired. If special effects have to be used, I’d rather see a shot with the dagger flying around then having the camera fly with the dagger to its location. Or at least switch it up a little and show both.
Other aspects of the cinematography (by first timer Xiaoding Zhao) weren’t all that great either. Some of the scenes were quite vibrant and quite colorful. However, sometimes the scene just looked too phony. I could see the digital manipulation too easily. Other times, there were color correction problems within the scenes. For instance, at once point two characters are fighting in the snow. It starts out a stunning bright white, then loses its luster in certain shots and regains it in others. It’s subtle and not everyone will catch it, but it may still affect you subconsciously.
Nothing about the film really stood out to me as being particularly great, except for one thing. The sound. This was a great use of sound effects and music. If you don’t see the film in theatres, but plan to eventually, make sure you have a great surround sound system. Like I said, the fighting was tame and unappealing, but the audio just blares out and comes at you from all angles. It builds the excitement where the visual side falls short.
Those desperate for a new martial arts flick may be disappointed in the banality of this film. From the love story to the action to the dance sequences, it all seemed a bit too much and certainly too long. This one is just not my cup of tea.
++++++++
A Very Long Engagement
Review by Jon Waterman
***1/2
When they were children, Manech was Mathilde’s only friend after her parents died and she contracted polio. It was a friendship that transitioned into a life-long romance. But then Manech got sent off to war and was court-martialed for self-mutilation. He, along with four other men, had their hands shot in order to leave the war early. The punishment was to be left out in no man’s land to die. Back home, Mathilde tries to hold on to her hopes. She hasn’t received an official notice that her fiancé has died. Her only reason for carrying on is the hope that she may find him. And so, she begins her search.
Here we have director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s latest film. Like his previous work, “Amelie,” this movie is primarily a love story (and both star Audrey Tautou). However, this time around, in lieu of the light-heartedness, we get war and mystery thrown into the mix. Typically, a balance like this tends to fail, because the elements clash and step on each other or certain genres are mostly forgotten and thrown in sporadically to provide “depth.” Jeunet, and writing collaborator Guillaume Laurant (the aforementioned “Amelie” and “The City of Lost Children”), keep all three genres at consistent levels throughout. The love story drives the search for her lover, who went missing in World War I. The film is always dealt with in that order.
That’s part of what makes the film so appealing. The thing I didn’t like about such war films like “Black Hawk Down” or “The Thin Red Line” is that they tried to tell ten or twenty stories by floating from one character to another. We don’t need to know the story of everyone in the front. Here we see how powerful and in depth the tiniest sliver of a war can get. As far as WWI goes, this event is a speck of dust, yet it easily fills the two-hour plus running time. Perhaps I enjoyed the war aspect of the film, because it was almost marginalized in favor of the stronger aspects of the narrative. We all know that war is hell, and this movie shows that sometimes you don’t have to linger on that common knowledge. The detective side of the piece makes the film unique to me. Granted, I haven’t seen everything, but I can’t recall seeing another film that handles the balance like this. The mystery is just that. The audience is left in the dark and is subject to various twists and turns (some might think too many) and worthwhile subplots that you seldom see in contemporary thrillers. My biggest complaint would be about the pace. There were breaks in the story that I felt could have been eliminated, while still keeping the entire plot line intact. Sure, my interest held up throughout, but it would have been heightened had it moved a little quicker.
Two other factors kept my interest up: the acting and the cinematography. Just to warn you, Jodie Foster is in the movie. Now that you know, there’s no need to let it distract you or pull you out of the film so you can whisper to your friends. The acting isn’t outstanding by any means, so I should probably say the casting kept my interest. I enjoyed seeing actors from Jeunet’s previous works come back here. The most notable of these is Tautou. She is perfectly cast in this role thanks to her face. She exudes the necessary innocence and hope through her pursed lips, and she conveys the pity and love through her big eyes that no one in the movie can deny. I also enjoyed hearing Florence Thomassin narrate the film. It was a warm voice that gave the picture a welcome storybook quality. Enhancing this is Bruno Delbonnel’s cinematography. The visuals stayed true to Jeunet’s trademark dazzling and slightly quirky style. The landscapes were full and lavish, and even the most drab and dreary settings are made picturesque in their own way (which could be perceived as a negative). The end result is a charming, inviting and interesting film that may not say anything new, but finds a new way to say it.
The House of Flying Daggers
Review by Jon Waterman
**
It’s a simple story about an underground vigilante group called the Flying Daggers whose purpose is to undermine and destroy the government. Their old leader has been killed and so their efforts have increased to show that they have not weakened. Mei, the former leader’s daughter is discovered as a spy and must escape back north to their hideout. Since she is blind, a man named Jin escorts her. Little does she know, he’s a government spy looking to infiltrate their base. Can he keep up the charade, or will his growing affection for her break him down?
The story line isn’t all that deep or too interesting. If it helps at all, think of it as a martial arts flick where the main character is blind. It’s like “Zatoichi” meets “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” I say that second part, because it’s one of those new wire-fu movies that have become something of a trend. The same writing and directing team that brought you “Hero” brings about this latest entry into the genre. Yimou Zhang directs and helps Feng Li and Bin Wang write. It’s meant to be something of a companion piece, but I can’t really tell you how it stacks up, because as of yet, I haven’t seen that Jet Li movie.
So, let’s talk about the action stuff. It doesn’t get too incredibly wacky and wild. People do climb about on trees like monkeys and do crazy impossible dodging moves, but actually the majority of the fighting is rather straightforward. Most of the wire action you’ll see is the ones dangling off the fake squirrel that appears in one shot. Even though the fighting is mostly back-to-basics (yet surprisingly dull), I’d consider it a wire-fu because of the few sequences that utilize the anti-gravitational style and for all those flying daggers. Honestly, it’s less like a dagger and more like a heat-seeking missile. These things find their targets and then circle around to do exactly what they need to do. A decent enough concept, but the execution leaves a little to be desired. If special effects have to be used, I’d rather see a shot with the dagger flying around then having the camera fly with the dagger to its location. Or at least switch it up a little and show both.
Other aspects of the cinematography (by first timer Xiaoding Zhao) weren’t all that great either. Some of the scenes were quite vibrant and quite colorful. However, sometimes the scene just looked too phony. I could see the digital manipulation too easily. Other times, there were color correction problems within the scenes. For instance, at once point two characters are fighting in the snow. It starts out a stunning bright white, then loses its luster in certain shots and regains it in others. It’s subtle and not everyone will catch it, but it may still affect you subconsciously.
Nothing about the film really stood out to me as being particularly great, except for one thing. The sound. This was a great use of sound effects and music. If you don’t see the film in theatres, but plan to eventually, make sure you have a great surround sound system. Like I said, the fighting was tame and unappealing, but the audio just blares out and comes at you from all angles. It builds the excitement where the visual side falls short.
Those desperate for a new martial arts flick may be disappointed in the banality of this film. From the love story to the action to the dance sequences, it all seemed a bit too much and certainly too long. This one is just not my cup of tea.
++++++++
A Very Long Engagement
Review by Jon Waterman
***1/2
When they were children, Manech was Mathilde’s only friend after her parents died and she contracted polio. It was a friendship that transitioned into a life-long romance. But then Manech got sent off to war and was court-martialed for self-mutilation. He, along with four other men, had their hands shot in order to leave the war early. The punishment was to be left out in no man’s land to die. Back home, Mathilde tries to hold on to her hopes. She hasn’t received an official notice that her fiancé has died. Her only reason for carrying on is the hope that she may find him. And so, she begins her search.
Here we have director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s latest film. Like his previous work, “Amelie,” this movie is primarily a love story (and both star Audrey Tautou). However, this time around, in lieu of the light-heartedness, we get war and mystery thrown into the mix. Typically, a balance like this tends to fail, because the elements clash and step on each other or certain genres are mostly forgotten and thrown in sporadically to provide “depth.” Jeunet, and writing collaborator Guillaume Laurant (the aforementioned “Amelie” and “The City of Lost Children”), keep all three genres at consistent levels throughout. The love story drives the search for her lover, who went missing in World War I. The film is always dealt with in that order.
That’s part of what makes the film so appealing. The thing I didn’t like about such war films like “Black Hawk Down” or “The Thin Red Line” is that they tried to tell ten or twenty stories by floating from one character to another. We don’t need to know the story of everyone in the front. Here we see how powerful and in depth the tiniest sliver of a war can get. As far as WWI goes, this event is a speck of dust, yet it easily fills the two-hour plus running time. Perhaps I enjoyed the war aspect of the film, because it was almost marginalized in favor of the stronger aspects of the narrative. We all know that war is hell, and this movie shows that sometimes you don’t have to linger on that common knowledge. The detective side of the piece makes the film unique to me. Granted, I haven’t seen everything, but I can’t recall seeing another film that handles the balance like this. The mystery is just that. The audience is left in the dark and is subject to various twists and turns (some might think too many) and worthwhile subplots that you seldom see in contemporary thrillers. My biggest complaint would be about the pace. There were breaks in the story that I felt could have been eliminated, while still keeping the entire plot line intact. Sure, my interest held up throughout, but it would have been heightened had it moved a little quicker.
Two other factors kept my interest up: the acting and the cinematography. Just to warn you, Jodie Foster is in the movie. Now that you know, there’s no need to let it distract you or pull you out of the film so you can whisper to your friends. The acting isn’t outstanding by any means, so I should probably say the casting kept my interest. I enjoyed seeing actors from Jeunet’s previous works come back here. The most notable of these is Tautou. She is perfectly cast in this role thanks to her face. She exudes the necessary innocence and hope through her pursed lips, and she conveys the pity and love through her big eyes that no one in the movie can deny. I also enjoyed hearing Florence Thomassin narrate the film. It was a warm voice that gave the picture a welcome storybook quality. Enhancing this is Bruno Delbonnel’s cinematography. The visuals stayed true to Jeunet’s trademark dazzling and slightly quirky style. The landscapes were full and lavish, and even the most drab and dreary settings are made picturesque in their own way (which could be perceived as a negative). The end result is a charming, inviting and interesting film that may not say anything new, but finds a new way to say it.
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